17h11 ▪
5
min read ▪ by
Evans S.
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Polygon establishes itself in the race for stablecoin payments. The network processed about 79.25 billion dollars in May, across nearly 198 million transactions. An activity that allows it to overtake Solana and BNB Chain in the number of transfers.
In brief
Polygon processed nearly 79.25 billion dollars in stablecoins in May.
The network dominated the market with about 198 million transactions.
The increase in activity has not yet translated into a recovery in the POL token.
Stablecoins propel Polygon to the top
May 2026 marks the second-best month in Polygon’s history for stablecoins. The network processed nearly 80 billion dollars, confirming its turn towards payments. Polygon mainly claims first place in the number of transactions. The 198 million operations recorded during the month allow it to surpass other major blockchains on this indicator.
This distinction remains important. A network can show a high volume with a few massive institutional transfers. Polygon, on the contrary, shows a very fragmented activity, composed of a large number of operations of different sizes. The cumulative volume of stablecoin transfers on Polygon now exceeds 2.4 trillion dollars. USDC and USDT still concentrate most of this activity.
Polygon puts forward a simple argument: cost. A transaction on the network would cost on average about 0.002 dollar. Its settlement occurs in nearly two seconds. These characteristics make stablecoins more suitable for daily payments. A user can send a few dollars without losing a significant part of the amount in network fees.
This efficiency also interests businesses. Classic cross-border payments sometimes pass through several intermediary banks. The transfer can take several days and accumulate unpredictable fees. Polygon seeks to replace this complex chain with a direct settlement on the blockchain. Visa has moreover added the network to its stablecoin settlement program.
The network claims to have processed more than seven billion transactions since its launch, with availability close to 99.99%. These figures reinforce its message to companies that demand a stable infrastructure.
Polygon transforms its strategy around stablecoins
This progression did not happen by chance. Polygon Labs has refocused a large part of its strategy on payments and stablecoins, at the expense of a positioning solely focused on DeFi or NFTs. The company has invested in Coinme and Sequence to strengthen its infrastructure. Coinme facilitates entries and exits between traditional currencies and digital assets. Sequence provides wallet and interoperability tools.
Polygon is also developing its Open Money Stack. This infrastructure aims to bring together payments, wallets, compliance, and cross-blockchain transfers within a single environment.
Latin America occupies an important place in this offensive. Polygon reportedly processed about 309 million dollars of Latin American stablecoins in May. Tokens indexed to the Brazilian real or the Colombian peso meet local needs that USDT does not always cover.
In economies marked by inflation or costly bank transfers, stablecoins become more than just a trading tool. They are used to pay, save, receive a salary, or transfer money between countries.
Activity explodes, but POL token remains aside
The growth of stablecoins does not yet clearly benefit the price of the POL crypto. Polygon’s native token remains under pressure despite the increase in transactions and the network’s repositioning. This discrepancy shows that using a blockchain does not automatically guarantee an increase in its token. Users can transfer USDC or USDT while only keeping a minimal amount of POL to pay fees.
Polygon also faces strong competition. Ethereum and Tron still host the largest stablecoin reserves. Solana, on its side, attracts high-throughput applications, traders, and services aimed at artificial intelligence agents. The real test will therefore be over time. Polygon will have to maintain its lead in the number of transactions and attract more companies. It will also have to turn this activity into sustainable revenue for its ecosystem.
The 79.25 billion dollars processed in May nevertheless marks a milestone. Stablecoins are gradually leaving trading platforms to become a payment infrastructure. Polygon takes a lead, but Solana is already preparing the next battle with automated payments.
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Evans S.
Fascinated by Bitcoin since 2017, Evariste has continuously researched the subject. While his initial interest was in trading, he now actively seeks to understand all advances centered on cryptocurrencies. As an editor, he strives to consistently deliver high-quality work that reflects the state of the sector as a whole.
DISCLAIMER
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
